Three Spiders catch Prey: Six Spotted Fishing Spider and Jumping Spider are Cannibals!!!

bugman

September 12th, 2009 at 10:24 am

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Food chain/spider cannibalism pics–jumping spiders and water spider
September 9, 2009
Hi,
I thought you guys might like these pictures. The first one is a tiny jumping spider (5mm) I found eating a small fly or winged aphid in my backyard (central Oklahoma) this summer.

jumper eats fly kouri 300x208 Three Spiders catch Prey: Six Spotted Fishing Spider and Jumping Spider are Cannibals!!!

Jumping Spider eats winged insect (Aphid perhaps)

The second picture is a jumping spider (1cm) I found eating a smaller jumping spider (5mm). This was taken at my aunt’s house (also in central Oklahoma).

jumper eats jumper kouri 212x300 Three Spiders catch Prey: Six Spotted Fishing Spider and Jumping Spider are Cannibals!!!

Jumping Spider Cannibalism

The third picture was taken last summer. I was walking around my aunt’s pond when I spotted this water spider (2 in.). As I watched him, he ran across the surface of the water and attacked a smaller water spider (1cm), and then started eating him before my eyes. I’m sorry that the third picture isn’t very clear (I had to crop and brighten it so that you could see the little spider, and that greatly reduced the resolution). Thanks for the awesome site, and keep up the good work.
Josh Kouri

6 spot dolomedes foodchain kouri 300x252 Three Spiders catch Prey: Six Spotted Fishing Spider and Jumping Spider are Cannibals!!!

Six Spotted Fishing Spider: Cannibalistic Behavior

Hi Josh,
We always appreciate your submissions. We are especially thrilled with your photo of a Six Spotted Fishing Spider, Dolomedes triton, one of the most aquatic of a genus known collectively as Fishing Spiders. Your Fishing Spider was not as degraded as you indicated, but it would be best to submit camera quality images since we inevitably adjust levels and correct quality before posting anyways.